The local asteroid belts of Onnamon and other Black Rise systems kept my newly fitted covetor busy between station docks. I knew very little about my ships controls, the space I was in, or the people I was flying with, but it was enough to get by. I kept hearing them talking of hull configurations I had never heard of. Tech this and tech that. I spent most of my evenings after a good mineral haul, browsing station databases, keeping brushed up on terminology.

"Wormhole space," they said.

"Many riches to be had," they said.

Knowing very little of wormholes and their risk or reward, it ultimately would lead to my first death in since I gained my space legs.

Source: https://wiki.eveonline.com/wikiEN

Two weeks; the time it took to find our new home. Our leader (I will just refer to him as captain) ruthlessly lead the way in the long search for the right place. From my understanding we wanted a place that would support our current 5-8 man group along with an allowance for expansion if needed.

Finally we found one. Captain sent out a ping through our corporate communications. Pack up, load up, we are headed out tonight. I was prepping for this for weeks. Had my mining hull, and two battle-cruiser class hulls. An Amarrian Harbinger model, and a Caldari Drake. I had little training in either but I was confident it would last me long enough to learn better systems and purchase new hulls further down the road.

Set up was fast. My first time seeing a control tower was awe. This was why I came to space. Captain quickly ordered where the guns would be placed in orbit around our tower and began laying out our general logistics policy's.

First people on each day scan down our anomalies and cosmic signatures. Document them and leave the documentation in the corporate hangars so the sleepers can be fought once everyone is ready each day.

Place "warp bubbles" on each wormhole exit we find and document where it leads.

The weeks that followed found myself learning (stumbling) about new ores I had never seen, and the strength of the sleeper empire. Their name is very contradictory to how they fight. My drake hull was put to it's limits along with the rest of the crew at times, but I'd be damned if I didn't tell you it was fun.

I find myself one evening waking and my ship warping back to our tower from a non-disclosed location while I was asleep. Expecting to see a large pocket of blue wrap around me as my ship speeds to location, I instead find myself nowhere. In dead space. Tower gone.

Local was the only place to go to at this point. With no experience in scanning, and lacking the equipment to do so, I was stuck.

"Anyone there?"

I was such a naive pilot then. Such an "eve virgin". I did get a response. They knew I was in an auguror class hull. I said my corp has left me in this wormhole and I have no way out.

"We can help you get back home, join my fleet and you can warp to me. I am at an exit," the stranger said.

The less smarter half of me agreed, and I began my warp. On the way it started to hit me. Why did we move out. Why am I willingly warping to this stranger? It was too late. A foreign control tower with guns began locking me up nearly immediately. I ejected out of my ship with my pod in-tact only to be locked and held there again....

"Have a fun trip!" in local they said.

The following are two transmissions I received over the 2 hours following the events.

From the killer...

2011.05.27 16:25

Express train.

From: -------------To: -------------Thank you for travelling express from our wormhole. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to tell us how you feel about our service and if you feel we need to improve on anything. Thank you for your time,

From my corp mate...

2011.05.27 17:12

Express train.

From: -------------To: -------------Hey man. We had to move out of the wormhole last night. I kept my scanning equipment and clone here so I can help you get out. Let me know when you are around or free for me to get you and your ship out. Cheers,

It would not be the last time I feel the sudden filling of my lungs with oxygen after waking in my newest clone.

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Dedicated to: Loyalanon, The Conference Elite and the Savior of Highsec James 315

Special thanks to: Princess Suicide

“Hey Jeff! Pass me another beer will ya? All this rock chewing is making me thirsty”, Carl said. Jeff looked over to his Captain Carl, “Sorry sir the reserves have run dry, we’ve been mining for ages and I can’t even remember our last break.” The two pilots had recently saved up enough money to purchase one of ORE’s newest exhumer class vessels, “The Hulk”. It was said that this new ship was to have a mining yield not thought possible for a single craft. So Jeff and Carl sprung at the chance to get their hands on one the moment it was put up in a nearby market. They had to pay top dollar but in their eyes it was worth every last ISK spent. These days, all of the trade routes to Jita 4-4 we’re filled to the brim with pirates and other low life scum, so travel was very difficult for the non-wealthy but now they were going to be rich; it was going to be nothing but champagne and exotic dancers from here on out.

“Orca Command is saying that they keep getting weird readings on D-Scan”, Jeff said, pulling his headset off one ear. Carl looked over to Jeff, “It’s probably just more salvaging ships looking for scraps. They’re all over the place out here. Command is always a little dodgy during these ops because the CEO always jumps down their throats when he catches them asleep at the helm. Anyways, it’s High-Sec in a 0.7 no less, what is there to worry about?” Jeff thought for a moment, “Yeah… you’re right. I’ll go check down below for some more brew. Be back in a few.”

With Jeff exiting the bridge, Carl looked back to his control panel. The screen which showed his Strip Miners’ productivity beeped, announcing another cycle had completed. He glanced over to the Cargo Hold menu and touched the “Ore Bay” section. The bay was almost full; he’d have to jettison it for Orca to pick up soon. His new Hulk was definitely king in yield but man it was bothersome to have to keep watching the ore bay. In their last mining ship, Carl and Jeff would just turn on the Strip Miners and search the web but it would all be worth it because this ship was going to put them on the map. Carl leaned back and glanced out the port side view pane. Space was magnificent, endless and just chock full of possibilities. He stared out past the many mining ships of the rest of his fleet. Gazing at the suns of distant systems he’d always dreamt of traveling to, Carl could appreciate the beauty that the stars emanated but he couldn’t help but feel regret for not being more aggressive in life. He’d just figured he was only cut out to mine. It was an easy living, a safe one and well at the moment it was what he was good at. Besides he still had corp loans to pay off. So what other choice did he have? He closed his eyes and imagined the highly sophisticated life of the Amarr Socialites and how soon he would join them at their fancy parties. Now, it was only a matter of time.

“Hi, my name is Luke Skywalker and I have a pretty messed up family. My mom is dead and as for my father………………………………....uh, let’s change the subject! I have two droids, R-2D2 and C-3PO. I also know these really weird people; Han Solo, owner of the Millennium Falcon, and Leia, a stuck up princess. I pity anyone who’s related to her! Anyway, back to my story.

One day, when I came back to the Rebellion headquarters after having fought many a perilous battle against the empire, Leia called me to ‘Come and have a cup of hot chocolate dear!’. (Hot chocolate? What was I thinking? Leia can’t even make a decent cup of java juice and slice of toast without sending the whole kitchen up in flames!) I was a SLIGHTLY suspicious but having fought all day I was tired and needing some caffeine I obliged and followed her into her dining hall. Leia set the cup of hot chocolate down on the table. ‘So my dear,’ she began, ‘how did your day go? Did you recover the stolen plans?’ Nodding and shaking my head was all that I could answer to her numerous questions for my mouth was full of hot chocolate. Suddenly everything went black!